Artists résidence | Lina Ghotmeh—Architecture

Lina Ghotmeh — Architecture has transformed the 18th-century Hôtel de Tallard in Paris’s Marais district into a luminous creative residence for the Kadist Foundation. Designed to host artists, researchers, writers, and multidisciplinary practitioners, the space invites reflection, production, and exchange. Inspired by the tradition of French Art Salons, the project merges historical richness with contemporary clarity to foster inclusive intellectual and cultural dialogue.

Originally built between 1702 and 1704 by Pierre Bullet, the mansion had been altered over time, leaving interiors fragmented and disconnected from their architectural essence. The intervention carefully restores spatial coherence by removing intrusive partitions and allowing light to animate the original volumes. A double-height salon forms the heart of the residence, complemented by a mezzanine with operable interior windows, encouraging layered visual and social interactions.

Materiality plays a central role: soft curves, tactile surfaces, and finely crafted niches echo the building’s historic fabric while cultivating an atmosphere of calm and generosity. Light acts not only as a medium but also as a guiding principle—shaping perception, revealing proportion, and enhancing verticality. Rather than imposing a new language, the architecture revives the mansion’s spirit through subtraction and reinterpretation. The result is a timeless interior where past and present coexist in quiet conversation.

Sustainability is embedded through minimal intervention and maximum reuse. Non-original elements were removed to recover the building’s integrity, minimising waste and embodied carbon. Traditional techniques and natural materials reinforce longevity and ecological sensitivity.

Beyond its physical renewal, the project affirms architecture’s civic role.

By creating a space for interdisciplinary exchange, grounded in historical continuity and environmental care, it offers lasting cultural value and a model for sustainable, thoughtful transformation.

Photography: Takuji Shimmura (https://www.takuji-shimmura.com/)